Staphylococcus Enterotoxin B induced Host Response Signatures in the Presence and Absence of Battlefield‐like Stress

Abstract

In previous studies, we identified transcripts and proteins suppressed by battlefield‐like stress that were essential for protective immunity. In this study, pre‐ and post‐training leucocytes, from US Army Ranger Trainees, were exposed in vitro to Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) to analyze SEB induced regulation of gene expression in the presence and absence of severe battlefield‐like stress. cDNA microarrays and real time PCR arrays were used for transcriptome wide profiling, and computational analyses to identify regulatory modules. Stress‐suppressed immune response genes were remained suppressed in SEB treated post‐training leukocytes. Despite complications due to suppressed immune responses seen at the end of intensive battlefield‐like training, we have identified other transcripts that showed consistent differential expression towards SEB in both pre‐ and post‐training leukocytes even in comparison to dengue virus and Yersinia pestis exposure. Ontological and regulatory network analyses revealed that SEB‐specific transcripts are involved in heparin binding, positive regulation of mitochondrial depolarization, apoptosis, negative regulations of JAK‐STAT cascades and axonogenesis. Identified SEB signatures have the potential to be used as SEB‐exposure markers under battlefield stress.We are grateful to DTRA for funding.